Age at start of race: 50

Yacht Club: SSANZ

Hull Category: Monohull

Design: Cav 36

LOA: 11m

Race Number: 19

Sailing CV:
Sailing since childhood and aboard Camellia for 45 years. Including 10 trips to the islands, three as skipper and a Solo passage Noumea to Auckland in September 2025.

Personal Goal / Quote: “Camellia and I both turn 50 this year so I wanted to do something epic to celebrate that. The Solo Trans-Tasman has been on my radar since I was a young teenager. I am very excited that this long-held dream is finally going to happen.”

Age at start of race: 73

Yacht Club: Sandspit Yacht Club

Hull Category: Monohull

Design: Sparkman & Stephens

LOA: 8.7m

Race Number: 10

Sailing CV:
65 years sailing experience. Auckland Suva Race, Whangarei Noumea Race, Tauranga Port Vila Race, Fastnet Race, Solo circumnavigation of New Zealand,
2025

Personal Goal / Quote: " I've always had a fascination in single handed ocean sailing. I've read all the books and followed all the famous voyages and races including the Trans Tasman. Finally, I've got myself into a position where I can set sail myself. I can't wait to follow in the wakes of kiwi solo legends like Bill Belcher, Tony Armit and Andrew Fagan. My kindred spirits."

Age at start of race: 62

Yacht Club: Tinaroo Sailing Club

Hull Category: Multihull

Design: Crowther - Design #93

LOA: 13.85m

Race Number: 9

Sailing CV:
50 years, over 120,000 nm, Yacht master Offshore (RYA), two circumnavigations, 1 and ½ solo.

Personal Goal / Quote: "During my solo circumnavigation Oceans Tribute made it clear that as she holds the old multihull course record she wants to set the new course one. She has a mind of her own and gets quite lively at times, my personal goal is to Start, hang on and Finish!"

Age at start of race: 79

Yacht Club: Opua Cruising Club

Hull Category: Monohull

Design: Dickson 55

LOA: 16.82m

Race Number: 7

Sailing CV:
Having been brought up designing, building and sailing boats from a very young age, Malcolm considers sailing to be in his DNA.
He can’t really remember when he learned to sail and helm his Dads yacht, but it was certainly well before he started school.
Sailed around the world in 2000 east about south of all the great Capes.

Personal Goal / Quote: "This race will be my eleventh sail across the Tasman, and my sixth time solo. Feel very fortunate to still be able to participate in this great event."

Age at start of race: 68

Yacht Club: Opua Cruising Club

Hull Category: Monohull

Design: Beneteau First 36

LOA: 11m

Race Number: 12

Sailing CV:
Lifetime of sailing, with plenty of miles offshore cruising and racing. Probably around 40,000 on crewed yachts. This will be first voyage of any great distance single handed.

Personal Goal / Quote: Terry is currently commadore of the Opua Cruising Club

Age at start of race: 52

Yacht Club: Southport Yacht Club/Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron

Hull Category: Monohull

Design: Young 11

LOA: 11.17m

Race Number: 6

Sailing CV:
Multiple Sydney to Hobart Races

Age at start of race: 62

Yacht Club: Tauranga Yacht and Power Boat Club

Hull Category: Monohull

Design: Cav 39

LOA: 11.9m

Race Number: 1

Sailing CV:
Lifetime of sailing with countless coastal and 12,000 offshore miles

Personal Goal / Quote: No solo offshore miles so the journey begins.....

Age at start of race: 52

Yacht Club: Bay of Islands Yacht Club

Hull Category: Monohull

Design: Class 40

LOA: 12.17 m

Race Number: 15

Sailing CV:
Sailing CV 1st Women in the World to win a Round the World Yacht Race – 2005
2005 Winner of ORYX Quest (62 days nonstop around the world)
2001 Volvo Ocean Race 7th
1998 Jules Verne Challenge
World Speed Records x 5
Olympic Games
1996 Europe Dinghy Solo 5th Placing
2004 Yngling- Skipper 3 women keelboat 7th Placing
5x New Zealand National Champion
2016 Skipper of Thalassa Magenta Racing,
1st female team in the Extreme Sailing Series
Co-Skipper Armin Strom Sailing Team 3rd GC32 Racing Tour
2018 Skipper Ave Gitana –45 foot Trimaran
2023 - 25 Ocean Sailing Expeditions
2024 – Rolex Sydney to Hobart 14th Line Honors
Awen - IMOCA 3,232nm
124k Offshore Racing Miles

Age at start of race: 49

Yacht Club: Richmond River Sailing Club

Hull Category: Multihull

Design: Mumby 48

LOA: 14.6m

Race Number: 11

Sailing CV:
20,000nm of short-handed sailing experience. Approximately 4000nm Solo (including solo Fiji – NZ and NZ – Australia)

Age at start of race: 69

Yacht Club: New Plymouth Yacht Club

Hull Category: Monohull

Design: Wilson 36

LOA: 10.97m

Race Number: 17

Sailing CV:
Over 19,000 offshore miles and another 2,000 coastal miles.
Extensive short-handed and solo experience.

Age at start of race: 53

Yacht Club: SSANZ / RNZYC

Hull Category: Monohull

Design: Grand Soleil 50

LOA: 15.0m

Race Number: 4

Sailing CV:
Grew up sailing in dinghies and cruising Hauraki Gulf with parents.
Croatia to NZ 2022, Auckland to Vanuatu, Four times SSANZ Round North Island, Two times Tasman crossings, Three times Auckland to Fiji, Ten Coastal Classics.
SSANZ winter series 8x (2 handed)
SSANZ enduro 3x (2 handed)
RNZYS evening series 5x (crewed)
RYC evening series 10x (crewed)
White island race 4x (2 handed)
NZ keel boat champs 2x
NZ IRC champs 1x
Marsden Cove/Route 66 7x (crewed/solo)
RYC solo series 5x

Personal Goal / Quote: “If you have to ask why, you wouldn’t understand the answer.”

Age at start of race: 60

Yacht Club: Opua Cruising Club

Hull Category: Monohull

Design: Ross 12m

LOA: 12.2m

Race Number: 5

Sailing CV:
Sailing since childhood. Significant events include Round the North Island 1999, Offshore cruising with family 2009, 2017.
Coastal cruising and racing, club racing – keelboats, multihulls, skiffs, dinghies.

Personal Goal / Quote: “Do it today, because tomorrow doesn’t exist”

Age at start of race: 64

Yacht Club: Port Stephens Yacht Club

Hull Category: Monohull

Design: 1997 Lutra BOC Open 40

LOA: 12.2m

Race Number: 14

Sailing CV:
2025 solo Osaka Japan to Port Stephens; 2025 DH Melbourne to Osaka race;
2025 DH Hobart-Melbourne; 2024 DH RSHYR; 2023-24 Global Solo Challenge 13000nm Spain-Hobart solo, non-stop & unassisted; 2023 solo Spain-UK-Spain; 2000nm GSC qualifier Falmouth UK to Fastnet Rock-France-Spain-UK; Five solo crossings Bay of Biscay: 2022 solo Netherlands-UK-Spain; 2021 DH RSHYR; 2019 Crewed RSHYR;; 2010 solo Malaysia to Port Stephens.

Personal Goal / Quote: "I missed competing the 2023 Solo Trans-Tasman as I was overseas prepping Roaring Forty to race the 2023-24 Global Solo Challenge, so there was no way in hell I was going to miss my 3rd Solo Trans-Tasman in 2026! The Solo Trans-Tasman event is an iconic challenge and a real test of a sailors skill, preparation, courage and determination; both mental and physical. It's fantastic to see the race move to Opua and immediately attract more skippers. A huge shout out to the Taranaki mob for their incredible effort and support in running the event every 4y since the race inception. Stand proud. Aviator Ocean Racing sails to support our charities Brain Tumour Alliance Australia and Soldier On"

Age at start of race: 72

Yacht Club: Opua Cruising Club

Hull Category: Monohull

Design: B and G 36

LOA: 11.0m

Race Number: 8

Sailing CV:
As a teenager, sailing and racing dinghies - generally with indifferent results
Coastal cruising
Solo non-stop around New Zealand - NZ first
Solo non-stop around world, short course - NZ first
Two-handed Opua to Seattle - with stops

Personal Goal / Quote: “If ever you think you've got this sailing thing sorted, there will be something new to mess you up. This race is more a pacing of an ageing body than keeping a boat on pace.”

Age at start of race: 62

Yacht Club: Kerikeri Cruising Club

Hull Category: Monohull

Design: Sweden 340

LOA: 10.36m

Race Number: 16

Sailing CV:
NZ Ocean Yacht Master, Blue Water Cert. Many offshore miles, Pacific and Atlantic crossings, Tasman and Pacific deliveries
I previously sailed the Solo Tasman in 2007 aboard Nimbus II, a 6.9-metre three-skin kauri sloop designed by John Hakker and built by Alan Hooper. Nimbus is the sister of Crewcut, also a Tasman Veteran, sailed to notoriety by Denis Lobb of New Plymouth—this should ring a bell for the older dock rats! I am hoping to better the 13 days and 20 hours I spent bobbing along in 2007.

Personal Goal / Quote: Personal competitor goal / Personal quote For me, the Solo Tasman is less about being first across the line—why the hurry? Dealing with Border Force, overpriced marinas, exorbitant garbage disposal fees, and insurance demands makes an early arrival feel a little like a self-inflicted poke in the eye. However, this sailing race (regatta) appeals to me on many fronts. It is a true sailing adventure, offering moments of great joy interspersed with great terror, but also providing an opportunity for much-needed time out from the demands that shape our days, weeks, and years. As with my last Solo race, I look forward to meeting excellent people, including fellow sailors, committee members, volunteers, and an interested public. Talking about boats is my happy place.

Age at start of race: 69

Yacht Club: Lowry Bay Yacht Club

Hull Category: Monohull

Design: Beneteau First 45

LOA: 14m

Race Number: 18

Sailing CV:
Numerous coastal races out of Wellington, NZ, most of which involved Cook Strait in all its moods. Delivery trips and races to the South Pacific and three trans-Tasman trips, including the Solo trans-Tasman race in 2018. Numerous double handed coastal races including the Two-Handed Round North Island race in 2020.

Personal Goal / Quote: “The Solo trans-Tasman is the ultimate sailing challenge. The memory of that first challenge has never left, and it keeps calling me to do it again.”